Extraordinary physical properties of superconducting YBa$_{1.4}$Sr$_{0.6}$Cu$_3$O$_6$Se$_{0.51}$ in a multiphase ceramic material

TL;DR

This study reports a novel multiphase superconducting ceramic material based on modified YBCO with unique properties such as multiple superconducting transitions, reentrant diamagnetism, and evidence of quantum criticality at accessible magnetic fields.

Contribution

The paper introduces a new superconducting material with simultaneous partial substitution of Ba by Sr and O by Se, revealing complex phases and unconventional superconducting properties.

Findings

Two superconducting transitions at 35 K and 13 K.

Presence of reentrant diamagnetism and resistive states.

Evidence of quantum criticality at moderate magnetic fields.

Abstract

We report on a novel material obtained by modifying pristine YBCO superconductor in solid phase synthesis via simultaneous partial substitution of Ba by Sr and O by Se. Simultaneous application of EDX and EBSD confirmed that Se atoms indeed enter the crystalline lattice cell. The detailed XRD analysis further confirmed this conclusion and revealed that the obtained polycrystalline material contains 5 phases, with the major phase ($>$30\%) being a cuprate YBa$_{1.4}$Sr$_{0.6}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6}$Se$% _{0.51}$. The obtained superconductor demonstrates unique properties, including i) two superconducting transitions with $T_{c1}\approx$ 35 K (granular surface phase) and $T_{c2}\approx$ 13 K (bulk granular phase) - this granular phase arrangement naturally yields the Wohlleben effect; ii) reentrant diamagnetism and resistive state; iii) strong paramagnetism with Curie-Weiss behavior (% $\theta_{CW} \approx$ 4 K) and the ferromagnetic phase overruled by superconductivity; iv) Schottky anomaly visible in the heat capacity data and most likely delivered by small clusters of magnetic moments. Thorough analysis of the heat capacity data reveals a strong-coupling $d-$wave pairing in its bulk phase (with $2\Delta /T_{c}\approx 5$), and, most importantly, a very unusual anomaly in this cuprate. There are reasons to associate this anomaly with the quantum criticality observed in traditional cuprate superconductors at much higher fields (achievable only in certain laboratories). In our case, the fields leading to quantum criticality are much weaker ($\sim $7-9 T) thus opening avenues for exploration of the interplay between superconductivity and pair density waves by the wider research community.